Tech Leadership Lab: Liza Landsman, Stash (Nov 19, 2024)
The Fubon Center’s Tech Leadership Lab and the Stern Entrepreneurship and Startup Association hosted Liza Landsman for a discussion with Fubon Center Director Arun Sundararajan. Drawing on her leadership experience across big tech, banking, venture capital, fintech, politics, and her recent role as CEO of Stash, Landsman shared insights on what sets successful startups apart and how to navigate growth challenges effectively.
Operational scaling, Landsman explained, should occur proactively rather than reactively. While rapid growth is desirable, she stressed that choosing the right pace is essential—faster isn’t always better. She highlighted the importance of fostering a culture of experimentation, even during periods of strong performance. “There’s always 10% of your time that can be dedicated to trying new things,” she noted, encouraging leaders to prioritize innovation over complacency.
Addressing the pitfalls of organizational nostalgia during periods of rapid growth, Landsman cautioned against clinging to the sentimentality of a company’s early days. Instead, she advised leaders to identify and distill down the core founding and cultural values that truly matter, while committing to change and a focus on the future that is critical to scaling successfully.
In an engaging Q&A session, Landsman offered practical advice for entrepreneurs, encouraging thorough research on early-round investors—including speaking to companies not listed as references—and learning to handle rejection with resilience. “The more you hear ‘no,’ the more you get used to it—or better, you find the right people to ask,” she shared
On career planning, Landsman recommended aligning successive opportunities with three key dimensions: skills you want to develop, experiences you want to gain, and non-negotiables in your career and life. For those pivoting careers, she encouraged matching core strengths with industries or roles in need of them while remaining committed to one’s personal learning agenda. “Don’t be excessively tactical,” she cautioned. “Staying true to your personal learning agenda is crucial.”